Echinacea plant named ‘ECH391’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Echinacea  plant named ‘ECH391’, characterized by its upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; strong flowering stems; numerous large single-type inflorescences with pale yellow-colored ray florets that are red purple towards the base and dark purple-colored receptacle spines; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Echinacea purpurea.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ECH391’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea plant, botanically known as Echinacea purpurea, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘ECH391’.

The new Echinacea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new freely branching and relatively compact Echinacea plants with unique and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Echinacea plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2014 in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands of two unnamed seedling selections of Echinacea purpurea, not patented. The new Echinacea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands in July, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Echinacea plant by in vitro meristem culture in a controlled environment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands since March, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Echinacea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Echinacea have been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘ECH391’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘ECH391’ as a new and distinct Echinacea plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Strong flowering stems.     -   5. Numerous large single-type inflorescences with pale         yellow-colored ray florets that are red purple towards the base         and dark purple-colored receptacle spines.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of the parent selections. Plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in growth habit as plants of the new Echinacea are more compact and uniform than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of Echinacea purpurea ‘Mistral’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,498. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of ‘Mistral’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea are taller than plants of         ‘Mistral’.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea and ‘Mistral’ differ in ray         floret color as plants of ‘Mistral’ have red purple-colored ray         florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Echinacea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Echinacea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘ECH391’ grown in a container.

The photographs on the second sheet are close-up views of typical inflorescences (upper photograph) and typical leaves (lower photograph) of ‘ECH391’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 21-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typically used in commercial Echinacea production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 20° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Echinacea purpurea ‘ECH391’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of             Echinacea purpurea, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of             Echinacea purpurea, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at             temperatures about 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically pale cream in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright             plant habit, roughly ovate in overall shape; freely             branching habit with about 14 lateral branches developing             per plant; moderately vigorous growth habit; low to moderate             growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 35.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 34 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 14.5 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Internode length: About 1.7 cm. Aspect: About 10° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Moderately pubescent,             rough. Color: Close to 144B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Basal leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About             10.3 cm. Width: About 2.7 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate to             lanceolate; slightly carinate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Shallowly dentate; undulate. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Moderately pubescent, strigose,             rough; matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to NN137B; venation, close to 144A to 144B.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C;             venation, close to 146D. Petioles, basal leaves: Length:             About 7.6 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Height: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Color,             upper surface: Close to 144A; margins, close to 143A. Color,             lower surface: Close to 146D; margins, close to 143A.         -   Cauline leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 11 cm. Width: About 2.2 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate to             lanceolate; slightly carinate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Shallowly dentate; undulate. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Moderately pubescent, strigose,             rough; matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to NN137B; venation, close to 144A to 144B.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C;             venation, close to 146D. Petioles, cauline leaves: Length:             About 2 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Height: About 2 mm. Strength:             Strong, flexible. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper             surface: Close to 144A; margins, close to 143A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 146D; margins, close to 143A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Large single-type inflorescences with ray and             disc florets arranged on a capitulum; inflorescences             positioned upright above the foliar plane on strong             peduncles.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 45             inflorescences developing per plant during the flowering             season.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously from early July             to late September in the garden in The Netherlands.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about two to three weeks on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About             3 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Texture: Smooth, glabrous             Color: Darker than 166A; developing ray florets, close to 4D             tinged towards the base with close to 51C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 11.3 cm. Depth (height):             About 4.7 cm. Disc diameter: About 3 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Color: Close to 157D.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 16 arranged in             a single whorl. Length: About 5 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm.             Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Praemorse. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous,             carinate; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous, carinate; slightly glossy. Aspect: Slightly             upright, about 30° above horizontal. Color: When opening,             upper surface: Close to 4D; towards the apex, close to 4C to             4B; base, tinged with close to 54C. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 4D; base, tinged with close to 51C. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 4D to slightly lighter than             4D; towards the apex, close to 4C; base, strongly tinged             with close to 64D; with development, color becoming closer             to 158A to 158B and at the base, tinged with close to 54C.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 4D to slightly lighter             than 4D; towards the apex, close to 2D to 2C; base, strongly             tinged with close to 64D; with development, color becoming             closer to 158A to 158B and at the base, tinged with close to             54C.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 180 per             inflorescence, arranged spirally at the center of the             receptacle. Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape:             Tubular; proximally, 10% free, not fused. Apex: Acute. Base:             Fused. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and             luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy.             Color, when opening, inner and outer surfaces: Apex: Close             to 183D. Mid-section and base: Close to N148D. Color, fully             opened, inner and outer surfaces: Apex: Close to 147C tinged             with close to 183D. Mid-section and base: Close to N148D.         -   Receptacle spines.—Quantity: One per disc floret. Length:             About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape: Acicular. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; glossy. Color: Apex: Close to N186C. Mid-section:             Close to 24B. Base: Close to 145C.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 50             arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 9 mm. Width:             About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate to narrowly ovate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire; moderately pubescent.             Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower             surface: Moderately pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close             to 137C; base, close to 138C. Color, lower surface: Close to             138B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 13.5 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 10 cm. Diameter, terminal peduncle:             About 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect, terminal peduncle:             Upright. Aspect, secondary peduncles: About 20° from             vertical. Texture: Moderately pubescent. Color: Close to             144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present only on disc             florets): Quantity per floret: Five. Filament length: About             3 mm. Filament color: Close to 151D. Anther length: About             2 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther color: Close to             N199A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 14B.             Gynoecium (present only on disc florets): Quantity per             floret: One. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Style length: About             4.5 mm. Style color: Close to 145B. Stigma shape: Decurrent,             unequal. Stigma color: Close to 203A. Ovary color: Close to             145D. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not             been observed on plants of the new Echinacea to date. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Echinacea have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Echinacea plants to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Echinacea have exhibited good     garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind. Plants of the new     Echinacea have been observed to tolerate high temperatures of about     35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Echinacea plant named ‘ECH391’ as illustrated and described. 